§13.1Διὰ τί τὸ μὲν οὖρον, ὅσῳ ἂν χρονίζηται ἐν τῷ σώματι, δυσωδέστερον γίνεται, ἡ δὲ κόπρος ἧττον;
Why does urine, the longer it remains in the body, become more foul-smelling, whereas feces become less so?
ἢ ὅτι ἡ μὲν ξηραίνεται μᾶλλον χρονιζομένη (τὸ δὲ ξηρὸν ἀσηπτότερον), τὸ δὲ οὖρον παχύνεται, πρόσφατόν τε ὂν ὁμοιότερον τῷ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐστὶ πόματι.
Is it because the latter becomes drier by remaining longer (and what is dry is less putrescible), whereas the urine becomes thicker, and when it is fresh it is more like the drink originally taken?
§13.2Διὰ τί τὰ δυσώδη τοῖς ἐδηδοκόσιν οὐ δοκεῖ ὄζειν;
Why do foul-smelling things not seem to smell to those who have eaten them?
ἢ διὰ τὸ συντετρῆσθαι τὴν ὄσφρησιν τῷ στόματι κατὰ τὸν οὐρανὸν πλήρης ἡ αἴσθησις γίνεται ταχύ, καὶ τῆς τε ἔσω οὐκέθ’ ὁμοίως αἰσθάνεται (τὸ γὰρ πρῶτον αἰσθάνονται πάντες, ὅταν δὲ ἅψωνται, οὐκέτι, ὥσπερ συμφυοῦς) καὶ ἡ ἔξωθεν ἡ ὁμοία ἀφανίζεται ὑπὸ τῆς ἔσω.
Is it because, due to the olfactory passage being perforated so as to connect with the mouth at the palate, the sense quickly becomes full, and so no longer perceives the internal odor in the same way (for all perceive it at first, but when they touch it, they do so no longer, as though it were connate), and the similar external odor is obliterated by the internal one?
§13.3Διά τί τριβόμενα τὰ ἄνθη δυσωδέστερα;
Why do flowers smell more foul when rubbed?
ἢ διότι συμμίγνυται τῇ ὀσμῇ τὸ γεῶδες τὸ ἐν τῷ ἄνθει.
Is it because the earthy matter in the flower is mixed with the odor?
§13.4Διὰ τί τῶν μὲν ζῴων οὐθὲν εὐῶδές ἐστιν ἔξω τῆς παρδάλιος (αὕτη δὲ καὶ αὐτοῖς τοῖς θηρίοις· φασὶ γὰρ αὐτῆς τὰ θηρία ἡδέως ὀσμᾶσθαι), φθειρόμενα δὲ καὶ δυσώδη ἐστίν, τῶν δὲ φυτῶν πολλὰ καὶ φθειρόμενα καὶ αὐαινόμενα ἔτι μᾶλλον εὐώδη γίνεται;
Why is it that of animals none is fragrant except the leopard (which is so even to the beasts themselves; for they say that the beasts smell it with pleasure), and when they perish they are foul-smelling, whereas of plants many become even more fragrant when they perish and wither?
πότερον ὅτι τῆς δυσωδίας αἴτιον ἀπεψία τις περιττώματος;
Is it because the cause of the foul smell is a certain lack of concoction of the residue?
διὸ καὶ οἱ ἱδρῶτες ἐνίοις καὶ ἐνίοτε τοιοῦτοί εἰσιν, μάλιστα δὲ οἷς μὴ ἀεὶ τοιοῦ τοι ἐκτῶν νόσων γίνονται.
Therefore, the perspiration also of some people and at some times is of this nature, especially in those in whom, though not always so, it becomes so as a result of diseases.
καὶ αἱ φῦσαι δὲ καὶ οἱ ἐρυγμοὶ οἱ τῶν ἀπέπτων δυσώδεις εἰσί.
And wind and eructations of those who suffer from indigestion are foul-smelling.
τὸ αὐτὸ δὲ αἴτιον καὶ τοῦ ἐν ταῖς σαρξὶ καὶ τῷ ἀνάλογον· λέγω δὲ ἀνάλογον τὸ ἀντὶ σαρκὸς τοῖς ἄλλοις ἐνυπάρχον ζῴοις.
And the same cause accounts for that which is in the flesh and its analogue; and by analogue I mean that which exists in other animals instead of flesh.
ἔστι γὰρ καὶ ἐνταῦθα περίττωμα ἐνίοις ἄπεπτον· τοῦτο οὖν ζώντων τε αἴτιον τῆς δυσωδίας ἐστὶ καὶ φθειρομένων σηπόμενον.
For in these parts too there is in some cases unconcocted residue; this, therefore, is the cause of the foul smell in them while living, and of putrefaction when they perish.
διὸ καὶ τὰ πίονα καὶ ὀστᾶ καὶ τρίχες οὐ δυσώδη ἐστίν, ὅτι τὰ μὲν πέττεται, τὰ δὲ οὐκ ἔχει ὑγρότητα.
Therefore, fat, bones, and hair are not foul-smelling, because the former is concocted, while the latter do not contain moisture.
τοῖς δὲ φυτοῖς οὐκ ἔνι περίττωμα.
But is there no residue in plants?
ἢ ἔστι μέν τι καὶ τούτοις, ἀλλ’ ὅτι ξηρὰ καὶ θερμὰ τὰ φυτὰ τὴν φύσιν ἐστίν, ὥστε εὐπεπτοτέρα ἡ ἰκμὰς καὶ οὐ πηλώδης ἐστὶν αὐτῶν;
Or is there indeed some in them too, but because plants are by nature dry and hot, their moisture is more easily concocted and is not muddy?
δηλοῖ δὲ καὶ τῆς γῆς ἡ ἐν τοῖς θερμοῖς εὐώδης οὖσα, Συρία καὶ Ἀραβία, καὶ τὰ εὐώδη τἀκεῖθεν, ὅτι ξηρὰ καὶ θερμά ἐστιν· τὰ δὲ τοιαῦτα ἄσηπτα.
This is shown also by the earth in hot regions being fragrant, such as Syria and Arabia, and the fragrant things from there, because they are dry and hot; and such things are free from putrefaction.
τὰ δὲ ζῷα οὐ τοιαῦτά ἐστι καὶ θερμά, ὥστε αἵ τε περιττώσεις ἄπεπτοι καὶ δυσώδεις αὐτῶν εἰσίν καὶ διαφυσήσεις ὁμοίως· καὶ διαφθειρομένων σήπεται ἡ ὑγρότης, τῶν δὲ οὔ· οὐ γὰρ ἔχουσιν.
But animals are not of this nature and hot, so that their residues are unconcocted and foul-smelling, and their emissions of wind likewise; and when they perish their moisture putrefies, whereas that of plants does not, for they do not have it.
§13.5Διὰ τί τὰ δυσώδη θερμὰ ὄντα μᾶλλον δυσώδη ἐστὶν ἢ ἐψυγμένα;
Why are foul-smelling things, when they are hot, more foul-smelling than when they are cooled?
ἢ ὅτι ἐστὶν ἡ ὀσμὴ ἀτμὸς καὶ ἀπορροή τις;
Is it because odor is vapor and a kind of emanation?
ὅ τ’ οὖν ἀτμὸς ὑπὸ θερμοῦ γίνεται, καὶ ἡ ἀπορροή· κίνησις γάρ τίς ἐστιν, τὸ δὲ θερμὸν κινητικόν·
Therefore, both the vapor and the emanation are produced by heat; for it is a kind of movement, and heat is motive.
τὸ δὲ ψυχρὸν τοὐναντίον στατικὸν καὶ συσταλτικόν, καὶ φορὸν δὲ κάτω, τὸ δὲ θερμὸν καὶ αἱ ὀσμαὶ πᾶσαι ἀνωφερεῖς διὰ τὸ ἐν ἀέρι τε εἶναι καὶ τὸ αἰσθητήριον αὐτῶν ἄνω εἶναι, μὴ κάτω· πρὸς γὰρ ἐγκέφαλον περαίνουσα ἡ ὀσμὴ αἴσθησιν ποιεῖ.
But the cold, on the contrary, is static and contractive, and has a downward tendency, whereas heat and all odors tend upward because they are in the air and their sensory organ is above, not below; for the odor, passing through to the brain, produces sensation.